Biretta - First Outing

Wore the new Biretta for the first time at St John's today - what did the Congregation think? Greeted with a round of applause - result.

Ovens & Birettas

 The Postman made some interesting deliveries this week the first was a new heating element for the Rectory Oven which had failed just before the Annual Epiphany Party - it made the catering especially challenging! The new one from an on-line company called espares arrived promptly and took less than 10 minutes to fit, normal service has been restored and Sunday Roast is back on the menu.

The next package to arrive was a Biretta, a gift from one of my lovely Parishioners. I look forward to wearing it. 

I understand that the rubrics of St Mary's Cathedral Glasgow  state that the Biretta is to be worn when it is snowing so with the current weather it may well get an outing tomorrow.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY

Winter Sports!

Fed up with playing snowballs and making snow people? Part of the family menagerie is Halima the horse. To keep the field tidy and to provide for the roses it is necessary to clean up after the horse - a particularly interesting pass time in the snow is poo picking. I don't expect it is very likely to catch on as an Olympic Sport though!

Happy Anniversary to me

Friday 3rd December, the Feast of Francis Xavier, was the 16th Anniversary of my priesting. Not only was I invited out to a delicious dinner but the Bishop's Confectioner, Douglas Campbell, made me a delicious Anniversary Cake modelled in the shape of a motorcycle crash helmet. Yum!

End of Season Run Moray Coast Motorcycle Club

The picture is taken from the Kinlochbervie Hotel, my bike is the second from the left.

Fantastic day today with the Moray Coast Motorcycle Club end of season run. The day started with celebrating Mass at the 8.00 am Service at St John's then waiting on the Forres bypass for the Club who left Elgin at 9.00 am. First stop was Skiach Services at Evanton for a coffee and bacon roll, refuelled the bikes and then off to the West Coast arriving at the Kinlochbervie Hotel for Lunch. A cold but bright and clear blue sky day in some of the best biking country in the world, just unbeatable! After lunch we headed down the coast, over the Kylesku Bridge to Ullapool, refuelled the bikes and then a fast run on clear open roads down to Garve for a coffee stop. From Garve back to Inverness and on home to Moray with a welcome beef stew in front of the fire. It just doesn't get any better.

Inaugural Run

Out for my first run on the new bike today, from Forres through to Nairn then up over the Dava Moor and back to Forres via Snab of Moy. Awesome performance and such an enjoyable experience. I like the camaraderie of other bikers waving to you and the new perspective of being on a bike rather than in a car. Some people have said to me why? What is the attraction of riding a bike? Well in a sense it is a form of meditation, because riding a fast bike requires 100% concentration you need to clear your mind of all other thoughts and distractions and focus totally on you, the bike, and the environment and that is why it is so relaxing and enjoyable.